ANAHEIM, Calif. – After getting nine power-play opportunities, including three in the third period, and failing to put the game away, the Detroit Red Wings sensed they were due to be on the short end of a call.

It happened in overtime, when Anaheim's Bobby Ryan was awarded a penalty shot when referee Steve Kozari ruled he was tripped by Ruslan Salei on a breakaway.

Ryan snapped a wrist shot past Jimmy Howard at the 2:50 mark to give the Ducks a 2-1 victory at the Honda Center.

The Red Wings were upset about the call, especially Howard.

“It's a bad call, he knows it, he saw the replay,'' Howard said. “(Ryan) fell on his own, he tripped, just toe-picked. But things happen out there fast, he might have saw it differently. You could even tell on the replay, one arm on the stick, he just barely touches him. It's unfortunate the call was made.''

Salei doesn't believe the call was warranted but said he wasn't surprised it was made after he put his stick on Ryan's left hand.

“They've been calling (penalties) against them, everybody knew they probably were going to look for something (against his team),'' Salei said. “The bottom line, we should not have given them the opportunity to make a call like that. It's almost automatic nowadays on breakaways if anybody touch anybody, it's a call.''

The Red Wings felt it shouldn't have gotten to that point. They converted only one of their nine power plays (Pavel Datsyuk's 20th goal at 5:10 of the second period) and recorded only five shots on goal during 12:47 with the extra man.

“That's why we lost the game tonight,'' Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. “We had so many power plays that we didn't take advantage of.

“They did a good job of being in the lanes, but we have to take the shots, even if the perfect shot is not there.''

They had a five-on-three for 1:33 late in the first period in which they failed to register a shot. And they couldn't score on a four-on-three advantage during the first 1:47 of overtime.

“We would have like to score some goals on the five-on-three and the four-on-three, but they did a good job, they put some pressure on us,'' Babcock said. “The goalie made some saves, we missed a couple open nets. I thought our penalty kill was really good as well. The ice in this building helps the penalty kill because (the puck) is bouncing all over.

“We didn't shoot, we were trying to be too fine. We got a lot blocked too.''

“It's a little chewed up, you can't quite make the plays you're looking for,'' Modano said. “I think teams defend that a little better, they're worried more about the shot. The through-the-seam passes are low percentage at that point.''

Detroit's six-game road winning streak was snapped as Anaheim beat the Red Wings for the first time in four tries this season. Newly acquired goaltender Dan Ellis made 28 saves for the Ducks.

Howard had shut out the Ducks twice this season and had a chance for No. 3 before Jason Blake scored at 1:54 of the third period to tie it at 1-1.

Teemu Selanne carried the puck into the offensive zone and made a drop pass to Blake. Blake teed up a shot, using Salei as a screen, that sailed over Howard's right shoulder.

Datsyuk scored his goal by banking in a shot from the corner off of Ellis' leg. He has notched 20 or more goals in seven consecutive seasons and has recorded at least one point in his last 17 games against the Ducks.

The Red Wings continue their five-game road trip tonight in San Jose, when Joey MacDonald will start in goal against a Sharks club that has won seven games in a row.

They were glad to salvage a point against Anaheim, but knew they should have gotten two.

“The game was set up for us to find a way to get a win and we didn't,'' Babcock said.